soroptimist

Del Laine has left her mark on South Lake Tahoe in ways that many local residents might not know. She was a mover and shaker, whose focus was on making the city a better place. Her most important role, though, was promoting the well-being of women.

This pioneer died Dec. 18, 2020, at home from natural causes, with family at her side. She was 90.

She was born Dolores Mae Wright on March 20, 1930, in Oakland, Calif., to Mabel Paulson and Leslie Wright.

The Soroptimist International Club of South Lake Tahoe (SISLT) has helped make the holidays a bit brighter for the men and women served by Live Violence Free, the nonprofit committed to promoting a violence-free community.

Each year the SISLT club president chooses a "President's Project" to complete during their year of service. This year, Club President Louisa Boone decided her project would be to make Christmas Stockings for the 50 women and 10 men the agency serves. Stockings were filled with beanies, socks, teas, gift cards for the men, beauty supplies and jewelry for the ladies.

Farwell 2020! We will always remember this year, but for most of us, we are also ready to kiss it goodbye with a swift kick to the curb. Our community, like all communities has been hard hit with lost income, closed businesses, stay at home orders, COVID and virtually learning at home. We have missed socializing, travelling, entertaining and being entertained, enjoying our extended family and cannot even see a friend’s smile behind their mask. We missed so much of 2020 and it has hurt, to be honest.

With fundraising taking on a different look due to the pandemic, many nonprofits have taken to the internet for a way to help their groups raise much-needed funds.

The Soroptimist International Club of Tahoe Sierra (SITS) has one week left on their holiday catalog. The gift catalog is full of things for the holidays from gift wrapping to gifts and kitchenware

Local nonprofits in the South Lake Tahoe area were presented with a record $250,000 in donations from the Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority and American Century Championship as a result of money raised during the 2020 celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe.

Just as the popular golf event was unique and held without fans due to COVID-19 this year, it was a different type of ceremony handing out the money and the presentation of checks held virtually. Representatives from 53 nonprofits awarded the money were on the Thursday Zoom call.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - For years the members of Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe (SISLT) have planned for a major legacy project for the community. The club has saved a portion of its fundraising proceeds for over a decade while searching for a major project which suits its mission to empower women and youth. The result of that search broke ground Wednesday - the renovation of the softball field at the South Tahoe Middle School. The socially distant ceremony was held with club members and partners in their endeavor.

Longtime South Lake Tahoe area resident Marjorie Louise Daum has entered the kingdom of God.

The well known local businesswoman was 82.

Marjorie was as a very kind and sweet person, always greeting everyone with a cheerful smile and a hug. Her strong courage, humility, honesty and faith guided her successful path through life.

She was born on February 24, 1938 and moved with her family to South Lake Tahoe in 1947 where they lived at the Al Tahoe Pines Resort. The family's marine service station was where the current Globin's building and Pick 6 are currently located.

On our last day of school at South Tahoe Middle School, we look back with gratitude to the many individuals and organizations that helped to enrich the lives of our students throughout the 2019-2020 school year. Despite finishing the school year off-campus with remote learning, we were able to envision and execute some wonderful programs and activities including:

● The new STMS robotics team
● AVID college field trips
● High-interest books for classroom libraries
● New books for the school library
● Mountain bikes, parts & tools for PE
● Science magazine subscriptions

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Many nonprofits have had to cancel their fundraisers due to the coronavirus, but the ladies of the Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra (SITS) club in South Lake Tahoe weren't going to let the virus stop them.

Their 31t annual Elegant Evening was slated to be held at Harrah's Tahoe on April 18 with a sit-down dinner, live music, and dancing, raffle, and auction. The venue closed and restrictions on meeting in groups of over 10 people were created, so what do you do with an event that brings together 500 community members?

Move it online, of course.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. – The Tahoe Women’s Community Fund has announced its 2020 Grant Recipients. This year they received applications for grants from over 50 organizations. Of that group, 11 non-profits on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe have been chosen to receive $125,000 that will be distributed.

Inspiration Grant Recipient:
• Boys & Girls Club of South Lake Tahoe (Building Bright Futures – $40,000)
Focus Grant Recipients in the category of Poverty, Housing, or Basic Needs):
• St. Theresa’s Parish (Bread and Broth 4 Kids: Push for Protein – $15,000)

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - What started out as a charity that shared the magic of the holidays with local children has now become a lifeline of support that immediately provides South Lake Tahoe families with financial assistance when they are in crisis.

The 501c3 non-profit was founded in 1994 and has helped low-income families on a year-round basis with one-time crisis funding, but that role is now growing due to the current COVID-19 health and economic crisis. Tahoe Magic recently launched its new website TahoeMagic to show how those in need can be assisted.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Just as they have for the past 43 years, the Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra Club is honoring women and youth in the South Lake Tahoe community. They recently held their annual awards celebration and honored four young women from South Tahoe Middle School and South Tahoe High School as well as four women from the community.

For the GIVE Award, honored were Alexi Haven, Tovah Jordan, Esty Zanetti, and Maiella Riva. The Ruby Award was given to Suzanne Boyer and the Live Your Dream Award was given to Heather Wilson, Olga Zepeda and Kelly Meyer.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Soroptimist International Club of Tahoe Sierra (SITS) invites the community to their weekly meeting on Thursday, February 27 when they feature Barton Health's Neurology Specialist, Rituparna Das, MD. The doctor will share insights on brain function and brain health.

The meeting will be from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center, 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd. Coffee will be served and both men and women are invited.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Nine young women from the south shore were honored by the Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe (SISLT) club during a luncheon on Wednesday.

They earned the "Young Women of Distinction" award for their exceptional academic achievements, leadership abilities, and community service.

From South Tahoe High School: Carissa Buchholz, Kayla Mason, Tyler Pevenage, Brenda Santana, and Sadie Waldie.

From Whittell High School: Aylin Aguilar, Faith Galli, Sarah Gonzales, and Trinity Kirvida-McGowan.

Are you, or do you know of, a young woman in grades 8-12 who volunteers in the community or at school?

The Soroptimist International clubs of Tahoe Sierra and South Lake Tahoe recognize young women annually through their G.I.V.E. award program (Girls Into Volunteer Experience).

An award of $100 is given to winners of this award and the Soroptimists also give $100 to the organization of the winners' choice.

The Juvenile Service Council (JSC) of El Dorado County is a 501c3 all-volunteer organization serving at-risk youth ages 14-18 who are involved in the Juvenile Justice system. Often these young people are some of our community’s most vulnerable and underserved. They are at a time in their lives when they need our “village” to be there for them without judgment, with kindness and compassion, and with the resources to be able to provide them the tools to be able to forge the future successfully.

A generation of South Lake Tahoe and Zephyr Cove students have received books for summer reading from the Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra club members, and this summer will be no different.

This week, club members under the direction of member Cookie Rork distributed 3,500 books to students at all local schools from Zephyr Cove to Meyers. In Grades Pre-K to 2nd, students received two books to keep, while 3rd to 8th graders got one to help with summer reading.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - The Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra (SITS) awarded $12,700 in awards and scholarships on Thursday to students from South Tahoe High, Whittell High, Mt. Tallac High, and South Tahoe Middle School. The students and their families were treated to breakfast as the awards were given to the deserving students.

George Whittell High School Most Improved Eighth Grade Students
Faith Alvarez, James Johnson

South Tahoe Middle School Most Improved Eighth Grade Students
Victoria Capilla, Anthomy Navarro Rodriguiez

High Sierra Softball kicked off Opening Day 2019 this weekend at South Tahoe High’s Field Of Dreams. With registration up 30 percent from last year, the High Sierra Board would like to thank and share the generosity of a local business and service club who are helping the athletes in our league participate to their fullest.

Blue Zone Sports donated 12 softball gloves to the league.

"Many of our kids don’t have any equipment or are using their grandpa's old baseball glove," said Board President, Chris Chandler. "This donation is very thoughtful and essential for our players."

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - All 280 first graders in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District (LTUSD) and Zephyr Cove Elementary are participating in the second annual Gift of Literacy day at Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) on April 26.

The 30th annual Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra's (SITS) Elegant Evening is just one week away. On Saturday, April 13 join over 400 over your friends at the special event which includes dancing, a sit-down dinner, wine and vodka tasting, a silent auction, Elegant Business Baskets and their signature Elegant Bags. It takes place at Harrah's Tahoe from 5:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. (and free self-parking validation).

Tahoe is a glorious place. Most of us come here to live in its beauty, but it’s the “community” that keeps so many of us here. It’s that sense of doing good for one another that keeps many of us hopeful about the future. I’m happily involved in different aspects of our community and that part of my life is why I feel so grateful and blessed. Tuesday’s Drug Store Project for our sixth-grade youth was a testament to the compassion and dedication of our agencies, businesses, service clubs, and community members for the good of its people.

Soroptimist International of South Lake Tahoe recently held their annual awards program that honor women for their volunteer efforts in the community. President Pam Barrett welcomed members, guests and awardees. Mistress of Ceremonies was Ellen Camacho.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. - Six women were honored this week by the Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra (SITS) club for their work in the community.

Ruby Award - An award created in honor of the first Soroptimist Federation President, Ruby Lee Minar. The gemstone ruby is associated with wisdom, importance, vitality, strength, power, and love. This year's recipient is Amy Jackson, someone who is always working for the future of Tahoe's youth in education, sports, and life